


Counters and Scores

by 8NightLight8



Series: My Demons and Your Lullaby [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: And have a few disagreements, Avengers reunite, But also a hint of fluff, Emotional Baggage, Father-Son Relationship, Irondad, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter meets Bucky, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Wakanda (Marvel), Young Peter Parker, spiderson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-07-13 16:56:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16022096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8NightLight8/pseuds/8NightLight8
Summary: “Your father wouldn’t want you to be here,”“No,” Peter replied. “He wouldn’t.”“And yet you are here anyway.”“I am playing a game,” The boy said, having no need to lie. “And I don’t wanna loose yet.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a part of a series. In order to understand what is going on you must read the previous parts… So off you go ;)

Tony clung to the cold, black wall on his right desperately as the hovercraft tilted again and demolished his balance. He had woken up in panic, when the back of his head collided with the metal and jumped up instantly, only to notice that the bunk his son has previously been sleeping on was now empty. _Peter._ The only thought on his mind was bringing him closer and closer to the bridge of a panic attack.

Did Ross have him yet? Were they on the ship already? The quiet around him was deafening. No missile flew past the craft’s narrow window. They were already here. _How?_ A part of him asked, but he didn’t give it much thought, opting to run again as soon as the floor levelled. _He had everything planned. How did they found them? How did they found them?_ His tremors were so bad he was barely able to cling to one of the pipes as the hovercraft leaned to its left. His chest ached and his heart was betting fast enough that he could feel it in his throat. He had to find his kid. _Now._

He began to descend towards the pilot’s cabin, grabbing everything that looked solid enough in order to prevent himself from falling and ignored his aching joints. A cry ripped through the air, drowning out the soft hum of the motor he was close to. A short, sharp cry. The one he recognised. Tony forced himself to move even faster, to push himself even further… He was so close now. Only one corner away…. The floors straightened again and he conquered the last few meters separating him from his son with a sprint, only to find the boy laughing as the Falcon helped him make another sharp turn.

He was strapped in safely in the co-pilot’s seat and was turned to the front window, but the man could see his hand, which was carefully covered by a larger and darker one resting on the nearby joystick. Cap stood behind them and observed the pair happily, his left hand gripping one of the handles hanging from the ceiling tightly, while his right held a cup of still unspilled coffee.

All Tony could do for a few moments was stare, before the tension slowly started to leave his body and he let out a long, shaky sigh, trying to prevent his racing heart from leaving his chest with a still trembling palm. _Pete was okay. They were okay. They were okay._

Steve was the first to notice him, taking his panicked state in with wide eyes, before figuring out what happened and sending him a small, comforting, yet uncertain smile. Tony’s wristwatch beeped quietly. They had four hours to go.

“We land in about 45 minutes.” Rogers informed him helpfully, but the man only managed to thank him with a nod, his attention stolen by his son, who turned around in his chair quickly. There wasn’t even a hint of a smile left on the boy’s face now, any trace of the fact that he was laughing less than a minute ago disappeared at the watch’s alarm and left room for fear only. Tony hated that. He hated that more than anything in that moment… But there was nothing he could do. Not really.

This wasn’t just some invisible monster he could repel with a homemade monster spray. It wasn’t a a murderer from a movie that Happy has been watching, that could be forgotten if they shared the bed for long enough. This was a fear that was real, tangible and true. The boy’s secret will be revealed in a few hours. There was no stopping it. But they did have control over how that is going to unfold and Tony planned on doing every single thing about this right, even before anything actually happened.

So he put on a smile, grabbed their home-made sandwiches and asked the boy about his new found flying lessons until he could hit him back with a punchline.

***

Wakanda’s capital was beautiful, breath-taking even and Tony found comfort in how its advanced technology still managed to fit into the nature surrounding it. Not one tower looked out of place, their walls dressed in wood and their tops shaped like the roofs of traditional African houses. They shone under the warm morning sunbeams, reminding him that the only thing that really didn’t fit in was himself.

King T’Challa welcomed them as soon as they stepped of the craft, offering a big smile to both of the soldiers before greeting Tony and Peter with a more professional handshakes. His guard was with him, looking far too deadly for the man’s liking, but not scaring his son in the slightest, almost making him jump around with excitement, because of how bad-ass the women were and how cool their equipment was. _Not for long,_ Tony thought. Fear took a hold of Peter again as soon as Cap started talking business.

“I sent the text you came up with to the others yesterday, so they had enough time to review it, but you should still expect some opposition.”

“Always have.”

Steve looked at him out of the corner of his eye curiously, although Tony could tell he was a bit annoyed with him also. “Everything would be much easier if you just presented us with the whole script, you know?”

The man could practically feel the boy on his right tense. “I do.”

“And you are still not gonna tell us?”

“Nope.”

Steve rolled his eyes at him, but there was a bit of happiness hidden behind the action, betrayed by a small smile. Tony understood. This was familiar. Normal. It was how they were before. They would poke each other non-stop and yet still have each other’s backs. The man knew it would take a while to get that back – a long while and a lot of trust. He knew that this moment was just an echo of their past and yet he couldn’t help but feel a little better. Maybe the others won’t get to kick the shit out of him after all.


	2. Chapter 2

Peter could feel the eyes of the rouge Avengers bore into him as soon as he entered the conference room. It was well-lit and spacious and yet its walls still seemed to be slowly creeping towards him, causing his chest to squeeze and his heartbeat to accelerate. This was it. This was the time and the place where they will learn whether their plan could succeed.

His dad assured him that the team’s support wasn’t of the highest importance, but Peter was no fool. He knew that the public will be much easier to convince if they saw all of the Avengers working together, knew that his story wouldn’t be enough. The government would say that Tony only opposes their work because of his relationship with Peter, that he is unable to fully grasp the danger they were all in… They needed the Avengers. Needed their support and their statements, needed their trust.

His dad wasn’t going to tell them his secret in advance, the boy was sure. And not knowing what his reasons for supporting the program through all these years was certainly going to make them feel uneasy. But Tony still won’t tell them anything. Making Peter go through all that was to come twice was strictly against his _I would do anything to protect my kid_ mind-set. And Peter was grateful for that, he was, but he made a promise to himself anyways.

_I will tell them if it all goes wrong. I will tell them. I will tell them…_

He had to stop what was going on. Had to pay off his debt, no matter what happened. He had to fix what he didn’t do, had to apologise for being an exception.

_I will tell them if I will need to._ Peter forced his thoughts to say, even if the act only made his breathing harder. _I will._

Tony’s hand found his back and guided him to the nearest chair, its warmth giving him strength. He clung on to that feeling, ignoring the screaming part of his brain which reminded him of the many lives that that same hand ruined by signing a few papers. He needed this now, which meant he will have to deal with his guilt later.

The silence lingered as the pair took their seats with Steve and Sam following suit, its power increasing by the moment as the gazes of the others kept staring at the boy’s now bowed head. He tried to pretend that he has just slipped in one of the new intern’s classrooms, but failed miserably. This was too different. They were too different… So he just pulled his portable designer station from his pocket, turned it on and hid behind its bright blue glow.

“So,” Tony clapped, causing almost everyone in the room to jump. “Let’s get straight to business. I believe Cap has already informed you of the situation and sent you a proposed script for the video we should broadcast to the world in exactly…” He paused to look at his watch. “Two hours and 43 minutes. We don’t have much time, but it should be enough to go through all of your suggestions and amendments you might want to make to the text before recording. This campaign is our best chance and your supports as well as your possible improvements are highly appreciated.”

“And our complaints?” A woman’s voice asked and Peter turned his head just enough to stealthy look at the speaker. It was Black Widow, with blond hair now and an older face.

“To be dealt with.”

“And how should we deal with the fact that you have sided with child torturers?”

The boy’s dad flinched and yet his voice only wavered slightly. “However you wish?”

Natasha Romanoff opened her mouth again, with her knuckles white from how hard she was squeezing a black pen, but she got cut off by Hawkeye, who was looking at Peter with worry.   

“Why don’t we cool it a bit, huh? Or maybe do this without an audience?”

Peter sent him a cold look, shutting the suggestion down immediately. “I am staying here.”

“It appears to me that our time is limited.” Vision spoke, his voice just as the boy imagined it. “We should use it wisely.”

“And we are doing so.” The Scarlet Witch jumped in, placing a hand on top of the purple one, which lay next to her on the table. “Stark only wants to do this to be seen as a hero. The public campaign is nothing but a sham. We should focus on getting those kids out, not on giving him what he wants.”

“My point exactly,” Natasha joined in. “We have to make a real plan and bust them out. Immediately.”

 “And then do what?” Tony asked a bit bitter. “Hide them? Make them join the Avengers and just forget about all the kids that Ross will pick out afterwards? This isn’t a long-term solution and I plan on stopping this. For good. “

 “After years of doing nothing?” Clint sounded furious now. “After supporting this madness for years and raising your own child without blinking? God, I might have labelled you as a lot of things, but I never thought you were a freaking hypocrite!”

 “I had my reasons.” Peter’s dad’s voice was quiet, soulful.

 “And it would help immensely if you told us what they were.” Steve spoke for the first time since the whole conversation started.

 Peter’s heart raced with fear again, his chest becoming tighter… He thought he sensed the super soldier’s eyes on him for a moment, but when he looked up the man was focused on his dad.

 “I will reveal everything in the video and you will learn then, like I promised,” Tony said. “But I cannot tell you now.”

 “And you can promise that your ‘reasons’ will be entirely on you and won’t misrepresent or simplify our views at all?” Sam was the one who asked the question now.

 “I can.” The man replied. “The unwritten part of the script will centre on my experience and my story only.”

 “Then that is all.” Vision concluded. “Stark’s plan is the only one with a clear long-lasting goal. The probability of its success moves around eighty-six percent with our support and could put an end to this in approximately three weeks’ time. His story won’t influence our reputations or twist our words. It is the best option we have.”

 “Three weeks is a long time.” Wanda jumped in. “And if it the campaign doesn’t work…”

 “We can still pursue a harsher approach.”   

 Steve nodded. “All in, then?”

 And Peter watched as the heroes from the history books and grainy flip phone YouTube videos all hesitantly, but surely lowered their heads in agreement.


	3. Chapter 3

Peter looked over his shoulder before staking the next turn in the endless maze of the building’s halls. He placed his feet on the floor carefully, trying not to make a sound and kept his senses on high alert. If he concentrated hard enough, he could still hear the Avengers mingling while they read through their lines and practiced their delivery, but their voiced were pretty muffled by someone trying hard to tighten a squeaky screw. The shrill noise was irritating, but it almost came as a relief to the boy at this point. Now that the adults came to an agreement his minutes were numbered and he was running.

 He was running from his thoughts and from his fears. Running from himself, running from the truth.

 It was a hard game to play, but over the years he had become an expert. He knew deep down that he will never win, but pretending to be oblivious was sweeter. Much sweeter. He didn’t want the reality to ruin everything for him. Not again. It has done so over and over and over. He hated it sometimes, despised it and his urge to outplay it grew. When a pair of footsteps started to echo from the other side of the hallway he bolted.

 The dark, wooden doors on his left were a lifesaver, opening widely as he pressed on their hook, even if he could clearly see their copper keyhole. He didn’t care where he was going to end up at that point. He expected an empty conference room maybe or a toilet or an office, but the sight that welcomed him as he turned was so peculiar that it left him baffled.

 The room he stumbled in was a mess. Piles of clothing lay on the floor, cramped between paper wrappings, empty toiletry products and other garbage. Its windows were huge and yet the whole place merely got any light at all, since someone covered them with at least five layers of bedsheets. A large wardrobe stood to the boy’s right, facing an old, expensive looking bureau scattered with dozens and dozens of crinkly papers as well as leather bound notebook and a pen that could probably belong to a vintage shop. The bed right under the windows was made. Perfectly. And a heartbeat, strong and steady sounded from the corner, easing Peter into a state of dread.

 “You shouldn’t be here,” said the person hiding in the shadows. His voice was low and raspy, deprived of emotion.

 “I… I am sor-” Peter started, still standing frozen at the door, but the stranger interrupted him before he managed to utter his panicked apology.

 “Sit.” An arm appeared from behind the wardrobe and motioned towards the side of the bed.

 The footsteps could still be heard from the hallway. The boy obeyed. He moved through the room slowly, cautiously, making sure that the man never got a glimpse of his back. None of them broke the silence until he was seated, but then...

 "You are Tony Stark’s boy.” The person spoke again, the same matter of fact tone confirming his alleged emptiness. His face was still completely hidden even from Peter’s sensitive eyes, but the latter didn’t even need to take pains in order to catch a glimpse of silver.

 “I am.” He said.

 “Your father wouldn’t want you to be here,” the Winter Soldier stated.

 “No,” Peter replied. “He wouldn’t.” He took a moment to just observe the man he was facing. His hair was long, falling over his silver shoulder in an unkempt manner, but he was wearing Wakandan clothes, the boy could tell that much from their silk-like look.

 “And yet you are here anyway.”

 “I am playing a game,” The boy said, having no need to lie. “And I don’t wanna loose yet.”

 He could feel James Barnes’s gaze pierce trough him for a few moments, but his voice gained no pity when he spoke next and Peter liked that. 

 “But you will.”

 “You don’t know that.” The boy seemed defensive even to his own ears.

 “And you know everything.”

 “That’s not true either.”

 Peter couldn’t see the man’s face well though he was sure he smiled. “Shoot then.”

 “You hurt my dad.” The temperature in the room seemed to have suddenly dropped below zero and the winter soldier took long to reply.

 “I did.” He said so openly, clearly.

 “How?” The boy needed to know the answer.

 “By fighting the wrong battle.” Barnes replied and paused a bit before he continued. “By _not losing_?”

 Peter understood; but he didn’t want another riddle. “What did you do?”

 “Fought for HYDRA, like I thought I should have?”

 “Yeah, but what _did you do_?”

 The man tilted his head a bit, allowing the almost invisible beam of light to hit his metal arm further and make it gleam even brighter in its surrounding darkness. “He should have told you that.”  

 The boy shook his head. “He didn’t.”

 “He gave you that pendant, didn’t he?”

 Peter’s hand jumped to the diamond locket, which must have bounced out of its hiding place when he was running and was now holding down his t-shirt. Tony’s mom’s locket, his adopted grandma’s locket. … _His family._ He took away _his family._

The boy was on his feet and by the door again before he even realized he moved, his heart pounding like he would have just finished the marathon. His grandma… _He could have had_ a grandma. A _grandpa_. More family. _Tony’s family._ And in that moment he didn’t even have himself. He was  distorted, just a failed copy of what he should have been. _He had to loose. He had to loose. He had to loose._

And so, when Tony asked him if he wanted to do the honours, he pressed the broadcast button – and did just that.

**Author's Note:**

> We probably only have two more parts to go guys! What did you think of the Avengers? And of the Winter Soldier? O.O Let me know in the comments or come talk to me on Tumblr, my URL is 8night-light8! <3


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